Morocco's King Mohammed VI has sent messages of condolences to the presidents of China and Nepal following the devastating flash floods and landslides that struck areas along the Nepal-China border, leaving hundreds dead and thousands missing.
In his message to Chinese President Xi Jinping, the King said he had learned with deep sorrow of the deadly floods, expressing his heartfelt condolences and assuring him of the Kingdom of Morocco’s full solidarity with China in the wake of the disaster.
King Mohammed VI also extended his deepest sympathy to the bereaved families and to the Chinese people during what he described as a painful circumstance.
The Sovereign likewise sent a message of condolences to Nepalese President Ram Chandra Paudel, expressing his deep sadness over the loss of life caused by the disaster and conveying his heartfelt condolences to the Nepalese president.
King Mohammed VI assured Paudel that Morocco stands by Nepal during these difficult circumstances and extended, on his behalf and that of the Moroccan people, his deepest sympathy to the bereaved families and the Nepalese people.
The disaster struck on August 26 after a glacier collapse triggered massive flash floods and mudslides in the Himalayan border region, affecting areas in Nepal and China’s Tibet Autonomous Region.
The latest figures have continued to rise as rescue teams recover bodies from devastated areas. Reuters reported Friday that at least 579 people had died in Nepal and seven in Tibet, bringing the combined death toll to at least 586, while more than 2,400 people remained missing.
In Nepal, the floods swept through communities along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river systems, destroying homes, bridges, roads and other critical infrastructure. Thousands of people have been rescued, while military and security personnel continue to search for survivors and recover victims.
In China’s Gyirong County in Tibet, authorities said seven people had died and hundreds remained missing after the mudslide struck the Gyirong border port. Rescue operations have been complicated by the threat of further flooding from a newly formed barrier lake upstream.
The continuing risk of renewed flooding has repeatedly disrupted rescue operations. Authorities in both countries are monitoring water levels and unstable areas as heavy rain and the formation of landslide-dammed lakes raise fears of further flooding downstream.
The scale of the disaster has also left tens of thousands of people in urgent need of assistance. The International Red Cross estimates that around 93,000 people need urgent humanitarian support, while UNICEF said approximately 17,000 children are in need of assistance.
The disaster has also affected foreign nationals, including tourists, workers and pilgrims in the region, with people from more than 30 countries reported missing as rescue and identification efforts continue.
